A New Thing SPRINGS UP!

“Forget the former things;

    do not dwell on the past.
¹⁹ See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland.
²⁰ The wild animals honor me,
    the jackals and the owls,
because I provide water in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland,

to give drink to my people, my chosen,
²¹     the people I formed for myself
    that they may proclaim my praise

Often we understand God’s forgiveness, but deep down we don’t receive it; we hold on to our past and allow it to keep defining us.  The truth is that we are called to not dwell there, but we hear voices from others and ourselves like “past performance determines future behavior” or "you will always be that way, so just accept it".

So, what do we do, we stew there, we get stuck in the muck like ‘quick sand’.  I remember a time with my brothers when we were crossing a dried up riverbed (or so we thought!) and then I started to sink….fast!  It wasn’t until I reached out and received the branch that my brother was extending to me that I was able to get out of that mess.  The same is true in the life of a Jesus’ follower.  I need to actually receive the forgiveness that my Heavenly Father is extending to me.  When I do that, it means a shift of focus to look forward and not back, to press on to the high calling that Jesus has for me.

Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

There is a preferred future, a place of victory, a place of greater strength and resolve.  The question is do we realize it or better, do we perceive it as Isaiah points the question?  God was doing a new thing then and He is still doing a new thing now, and we are a new creation.  The old is gone and the new has come!  It springs up like the Holy Spirit flowing through us like living water and the greater control we extend to Him, the more He empowers and transforms us.  The well that we need to be drinking from is the everlasting love, strength and provision of the Holy Spirit.  Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom! 

In order to move forward we can’t be stuck in the past, we can’t be asking the “what if” questions.  It’s time for the “what’s now” question and the desire to say, do it in me, Lord!  He loves when we ask and He loves to answer those prayers!

Remember too as Crystal McDowell has said, “Satan is the mastermind of bringing our past mistakes to the forefront of our thoughts. He tends to remind us right before we are ready to take steps of faith.”

Practically it was great to hear how one of the guys we worked with spoke of his own focus on God doing a new thing in Him and how he is walking in newness.  For him, it meant a move to a new city, getting involved in Celebrate Recovery there and starting a worship band for those gathered on those nights.  He entered a rehab program for six months and leaned on a friend that was at Teen Challenge with him.  He spoke of renewing His mind through Scripture, filling his heart with worship music and trusting in the power of the Holy Spirit to transform him. 

My prayer is that you will receive God’s forgiveness and trust in the power of the Holy Spirit to do a new thing in you today and everyday!

Laying Down Our Stones!

Today we are going to explore the life of a woman and her accusers in John 8:1-11.  This is the story of the woman caught in the act of adultery and brought before Jesus to pronounce judgment on and let the stoning begin…

The whole trap for the religious leaders was this; If he permits her to be stoned, the crowds will never forgive him, but if he doesn’t and shows mercy then he is a lawbreaker.  They thought to themselves, ha, we got him, but you know what I love about Jesus?? He always found real treasure in those who knew they were already condemned and beyond hope.

Before we go on, have you ever held a stone in your hand?

Historically, sins have been separated into two categories, outward sins and inward sins, or sins of the heart.  Now sin is sin equally and we are all guilty of breaking God’s laws; however let me describe –

Outward ones are ones that are easily seen by others and they are most often appetites that get out of control like laziness, lust, greed, addictions.

The second category is sins of the spirit that have more to do with our heart than with our bodies like arrogance, a  judgmental attitude, self- righteousness.  They usually don’t provoke as much gossip though.

Often in the NT we read the story of Jesus confronting sins of the heart more than the obvious outward sins… most people who sinned outwardly were pretty honest about their condition.  However, it was those who were trying to come off as ‘more righteous than thou’ that were guilty of arrogance and Jesus called them blind.  They thought they were good moral, upright citizens yet Jesus saves his harshest words for them.  They thought they had their act together and yet they had a smugness that smelt like death.  He clearly laid out that the sins of the heart were the most destructive and dangerous of them all as seen in Luke 18.

What do you imagine that Jesus wrote in the sand? 

John doesn’t tell us.  Some have thought the 10 commandments, another idea more popular, dating back to the 5^th century, was that Jesus was writing down the sins of the men in the group.  He confronts these men with a decision.  If you are going to condemn her, first take a good, hard look at yourself.  When sinful people start passing judgment on others, they pass judgment on themselves

So, what happens?

So what does Jesus do?  He bends down and starts writing in the sand and then he straightens up and says, to them, “If any of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.

The people start to walk away, the older, wiser one first….they drop their stones and leave the scene.

So, what can we learn from this story?

Remember Who You Are   v1-6
- but for the grace of God go I.
We are in the lifeline business and our lifelines come mainly in the form of words.  Every word has the opportunity to bring hope, healing and strength or destroy vitality and their spirit.
We can choose to accept, to build up, to extend mercy and grace or we can pass judgement, condemn someone and wound them even more.
The apostle Paul tells us to accept one another in Romans 15:7 and 12:10 – honour one another above yourself. Jesus demonstrated it.

Remember What We Are All About  v7-11

-we are all about what Jesus is about.

What are the kind of things that people do that are like ‘throwing stones’?

·        Posting something on FB about someone else that isn’t true.

·        Speaking negatively about someone in a situation that you aren’t directly connected to.

·        Making a judgement call about someone solely based on appearance.

Why do people throw stones?...Maybe we must let people let know how much we disapprove of them so we can feel better about ourselves

Do you have any stones that you need to let go of?

·        Judgmental thoughts

·        Superior attitude

·        Impatient words

·        Bitter resentment

·        Little room for love

Paul said that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus  Romans 8:1.  On Jesus’ team we don’t need to condemn people who stand condemned already.  The question is what are we going to do about it?  How are we going to love them back into relationship?

How will we let go of a judgmental attitude?

So, what stones do you need to let go of?  

Is it against an ex-spouse, your mom or dad, your husband or wife a coworker, someone who has hurt you deeply?

To lay down your stone may mean action for you.  You may have to go to someone and confess to them, set things right.  If your heart is hard against someone, do an act of service for them.  Don’t tell anyone.  Ask God to change your heart. 

I once had a very difficult relationship with my lead pastor while serving as a youth pastor in a church.   I was challenged by a friend to pray for him for 30 days straight before making any decisions or speaking to him on that matter.  As it would turn out for me, our relationship changed and we had the best camaraderie that year.  I'll never forget when he asked me for the opportunity to speak to the youth and then proceeded to wash my feet in front of all of them. It was so powerful, so believe for change!

And, really, when these teachers of the law first signed up, it probably started out well I’m sure they were motivated by love, but somewhere along the way, all their study of Scripture had filled them with pride and their giftedness had made them impatient with the weaker ones.

What is so insidious about the sins of the heart  is that the carriers usually have no clue.  When you sin outwardly, you know you have messed up.  With the sins of the spirit, you have the potential to just continue to walk through life with a stone in your hand.

Now as we close, notice that Jesus doesn’t stop there, He tells her to go, now and leave your life of sin.  He was the only one who had the right to throw stones, but He doesn’t.  Go and sin no more…These words fill her with pain because of her past, but they fill her with hope because the future looks bright, someone’s believes in her!

So, when people finally open up to you and tell you their secrets, don’t stand there in shock, but listen and then respond, continue to love them in to the light, into the truth, into freedom, into the hope of newness of life.

Failure to confront, to speak the truth in love can be as fatal to the growth of a community as much as being judgmental

We are in the life saving business. Radical acceptance and forgiveness produce what a judgmental heart and condemnation cannot -  a  transformed life.  We walk through their sin or failure and give them hope, courage and strength to overcome.

Let’s be authentic and share our struggles and in doing so give others to freedom to share and realize, hey, we don’t have it all together.  We are just humbled by God’s grace and forgiveness in our lives.  Let’s lay down our stones

Spring Means New Life!!

Today's blog starts with a post from Friday March 11th by Sharon...

BRRRRRRRREAKTHROUGH happened this morning!!! I was giddy about going to the Manor today, feeling in my Spirit that I was to expect BIG THINGS. Jack, Jen and I were able to connect with Brenda and Roger. Over two years there is now a lot of love & trust...they openly share about their life & hopes & concerns.
We then visited sweet Dave and he prayed to receive Jesus as his Lord & Saviour!!!!!!!!! We had such an amazing time with him...sharing, encouraging & teaching.
We popped in on Todd, and having just led Dave to the Lord...Sharon had the boldness to ask Todd whether he has said that same prayer...and he HAS!!!! He said that he prayed it in church one Sunday...but didn't tell anyone. I said "wow...you were really quiet about it"...lol...and he replied..."I'm a quiet guy"!!

It is so exciting to be alive in Christ!

Ephesians 2:1-10

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

Here is the realization that we were all the 'walking dead' before we came to Jesus and whether we want to admit it or not, we are either following the enemy, Satan and the building of His kingdom or we have been placed into the heavenly realms in Christ, a new kingdom, a new ruler, a new destiny as we see in the following verses.  It is a miraculous transformation!

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 

7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

It is undeserved and it is all about His incredible sacrifice on the cross.  

It has nothing to do with us and everything to do with Him, He made a way, but we have to accept it.  

10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

It is really amazing to know that we have been created with purpose, with destiny.  It is incredible to also realize that God is the ultimate ‘set up’ MAN.  He has not only prepared us to do amazing works, but He has so designed our lives that He will line up events, situations and people to show His amazing love to.  It isn’t that we run around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to do a good deed.  It actually begins with listening and it can start with a simple prayer like, “God, who do you have lined up for me today to show Your love and compassion to?  Show me!’  It starts with listening to His still small voice and then looking through His eyes at the people around us.

Here are a few personal stories of being set up to do good works…

So, the other week, Sharon and I were with Addi and she was on her way to get blood work done.  As we were just about to turn off Gordon St., there was a lady bleeding from her head who fell on her bike after being hit by a car.  We immediately stopped and Sharon was there to hold her head while the emergency vehicles arrived.  As it turned out, this young lady had been training for the Boston Marathon and had just been off ‘crystal meth’ and had been turning her life around. 

Another time I was in Food Basics and the guy in front of me put his groceries through and then his card was declined.  As he was about to walk away, I felt God telling me, 'pay for his groceries'.  I didn't hesitate and proceeded to do it.  He was so appreciative and we would later connect by email where he did insist to pay me back, but it also opened the conversation to why and a great opportunity to connect with him.

 I have a neighbor who is hard to love.  Anytime we or our other neighbors get out in the street to play ball hockey or basketball she makes a point of calling the police to make sure we get off the street.  We have been also handed a list of city bylaws to reinforce the point.  So, there was a time one winter when she came out to shovel her driveway full of snow after I had just finished mine.  Everything in me wanted to hide beside my van and sneak my way back into our home, but the Spirit nudged me to go over there to help him.  It then turned into a conversation where I learned that she was dealing with cancer and an opportunity to pray for her.

It really all comes back to being sensitive to His small voice and by His leading we will do good works in His strength!


Pass DA Pasta fundraiser dinner NEWS...

We were thrilled to have sold out our fundraiser dinner on March 19th as we had a live jazz perform along with Carrie B. sharing her testimony with us.  It was a fantastic night as over $2700- was raised for Love In Motion that will support both Church at the Manor and UR Home, a ministry dedicated to support women coming out of sex trafficking.

Looking forward to doing the Love In Motion bike ride from Windsor to Midland in July with Josh!

Thirsty For More?

One of the most encouraging things is seeing some people stay longer with us at Church at the Manor after lunch.  Lunch usually begins with the initial fare of sandwiches, salads and dessert that more recently has changed to the crock pot warm up essentials of pastas, stews and soups. They are joining us for worship, for the sharing time and even interacting during open discussions.  It has also been so good to see some come to faith and join in communion as well.  I have listened to guys who share about their longing towards freedom from alcohol or anger more recently.  Some are making progress by switching to ginger ale or alcohol free beer, but deep down I know there has to be a longing for something more. They are so open to having someone pray for them and I pray in earnest for their freedom and the tears flow. They are so raw in their honesty with me , they are broken and desperate and it is when we all get to this place, that there is a great opportunity for a lasting exchange.  It brings me to a passage in John’s gospel where Jesus spoke of living water!

Empty Games

Jesus knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus himself didn’t baptize them—his disciples did). 3 So he left Judea and returned to Galilee.4 He had to go through Samaria on the way. 5 Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar

We pick up a story in John 4 on the ministry that Jesus was on.  Make no mistake that Jesus was annoyed with religious people.  The fact that they were keeping count of baptisms, making comparisons, #numbers was not something He was interested in and so, He simply left that scene.

It is interesting to note that Jesus intentionally makes a point of travelling through Samaria.  The Samaritans were a despised people, a mixed race and they also mixed up religions, worship, idolatry as well.  The Jewish people of that day would actually walk twice as far to avoid Samaria altogether because they didn’t wanted to be ‘contaminated’ by anyone in this area.

So, here we find Jesus in Samaria engaging a Samaritan woman. In terms of the culture of the day that was two strikes against her… a Samaritan and a woman.

Empty Buckets

Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. 7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8 He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. 9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water?

 …13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.”

Jesus makes no distinction of person, class, race or position.  He is all inclusive, all willing and all ready to give life giving satisfaction to anyone who comes to Him.  He is the real thirst-quencher and a real relationship with Him brings incredible meaning and understanding to life.  This is a great truth highlighting the truth that yes, Jesus spoke to the masses, but He was also great one on one with people and had a profound way to connect with them.  Unfortunately for her she doesn’t get it and she still things Jesus is talking about high quality H2O!  She is like where can I get this ultimate Gatorade?

Empty Wells

The third strike against this woman was that she was a victim of many failed relationships.

¹⁶ “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her.¹⁷ “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied. Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband— ¹⁸ for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!”¹⁹ “Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. ²⁰ So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?”²¹ Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 

In v19 She creates a diversion with her question on worship and tries to move away from the real heart issue within herself, but she now knows that this isn’t just a simple conversation about where to find the best water. She finally gets it and relates to Jesus on a spiritual level and brings up a really good question about where is the best place to worship God.

Jesus makes it really clear that worship will no longer be about a specific place or time for that matter. It is about the attitude of the heart and He calls us to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.  The Old Testament predicted it and the New Testament fulfilled it.  Worship wasn’t going to about tablets of stone and stone buildings, it will be about a heart of flesh and living temples, our bodies being the place where His Holy Spirit dwells.  1 Corinthians 6:18-20

For her, the well that she was trying to find satisfaction from was simply put, men.  She was looking for real love and she was trying to get her needs met in a relationship and it had miserably failed her.  She was broken and He was calling her to exchange her disappointment, her loneliness, her emptiness for love everlasting.

Jesus doesn’t condemn her by bringing up her past, but only to make her realize her need for something far greater that she had ever known.

The same question needs to be asked of us…What are the wells that we try to find satisfaction from?

How many wells full of sand and dirt have we taken a drink from?  How desperate are we for living water?

The Holy Spirit is our water!

23 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

It is also interesting to note that Jesus uses the masculine pronoun when making the statement to the woman.  In essence he was placing her on the same level as a man, that there was no hierarchy here, all of us receive this abundant life giving stream in the same way.

Jesus is calling us to drink from the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives, to discover joy, peace, love and the presence of God.  It just grieves Him to see us trying to desperately seek satisfaction from cheap and empty substitutes. 

Another way to look at it is this,  The Holy Spirit is calling us to go deeper with Jesus… Holy Spirit is saying, Delight in my presence, delight in knowing me like the sun that beats down on your face, so my radiance will be on your face, in your heart and on your mind.  Don’t dwell on lesser things; your soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods.  Enjoy my goodness, my grace and my mercy.  Let it fill your soul.  What does He tell us over and over again,…Come to me to have your needs met.  I will satisfy you, drench you with my loving-kindness.

Are you thirsty for more?  I am.

2016...Year of the Great Exchange!

Last week I went horseback riding and I was SO looking forward to it… the only thing I wasn’t prepared for was that it was -19C with the windchill.  I am a roofer, I work outside in all elements, but that day was my undoing.  I was on that horse and all I could think about was turning around and getting back to the barn. I could not stay warm for the life of me and my  message to my horse “Captain Kirk” was ‘beam me up Scotty”…get me outta here!  It was serious, I honestly felt that I was going to throw up, my hands were tingling and there was no feeling in my feet.  When we returned to the barn,  I was huddled by the fire until I could feel again. 

In many ways this experience relates to how I feel about repentance.  It is a 180 degree turn out of the cold, out of the place where I have lost all sensitivity, a place where if sin runs it’s full course, make me vomit to a place of real revelation to the effect it has had on me.

In the Old Testament Hebrew, the word for repentance is shub.  It is found over 1000 times and the vast majority of occurrences refer to a literal change of direction.  There are 200 times where it refers to Israel or God turning toward or away from one another.  It is a turning away from idolatry and from cold-hearted disobedience.

There are two terms in the New Testament, nacham which means to be sorry, or to pity or console oneself and more closely translated, metanoia in the Greek.  It literally means to change one’s mind or purpose, to repent.  It is a reversal of thinking.  You see yourself differently.

When we get off track as Christians, we have an internal GPS, the Holy Spirit, who is quick to remind us to ‘recalculate’!  We also need to remember that there is nothing that we could ever do in and of ourselves to make ourselves acceptable before God.  It is a coming to God that says , “you know what, all other roads lead me to dead ends.”

Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness leads you to repentance ( is intended to turn you from your sin?)

Romans 2:4

Conviction of sin is one of the most uncommon things that ever happens to a person because our natural tendency is to ignore our sin or cover it up.  Conviction is a good thing and it happens through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. John 16:8.  The Holy Spirit brings the realization of ultimately what we are doing.  When we choose to sin, we are saying God, I don’t trust you to meet my needs so I will take matters into my own hands. 

“Against you, You only, have I sinned, and done evil in your sight.” Psalm 51:4

The wonders of conviction of sin, complete forgiveness and becoming holy are so intertwined in bringing joy and freedom into our lives.  We reveal the power of God when we choose to move in the opposite direction that our sin was once leading us and by the grace of God we are now blazing a new trail.

Anything less is just simply feeling bad for the consequences of my actions, but not fully ready to leave the path that I am selfishly on.

So, a great exchange begins by moving from just being sorry to doing a 180 degree turn by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I’ll never forget how one person showed me how they truly had repented of a drug habit.  They said, “Jack, what I do now is look down the road to where my habit takes me.  I look beyond the instant gratification to the place where I become really sick, hungry and broke.  I recognize where my actions will lead me.  I remember that feeling, the  pounding in my head, the hunger pangs in my stomach, the feeling in my spirit to know that I have zero cash and I know I don’t want to go there again.”

The entrance into the kingdom of God is through the sharp, sudden pains of repentance colliding with man’s respectable “goodness.” Then the Holy Spirit, who produces these struggles, begins the formation of the Son of God in the person’s life (see Galatians 4:19). This new life will reveal itself in conscious repentance followed by unconscious holiness, never the other way around. The foundation of Christianity is repentance. Strictly speaking, a person cannot repent when he chooses— repentance is a gift of God. The old Puritans used to pray for “the gift of tears.” If you ever cease to understand the value of repentance, you allow yourself to remain in sin. Examine yourself to see if you have forgotten how to be truly repentant.

Oswald Chambers

So, what are we asking God to exchange in 2016 as affirmed at Church at the Manor this month!

·         Exchange my just feeling sorry to a repentance, real tears and a real turnaround!

·         Exchange my weakness to  His strength

·         Exchange my pride to humility

·         Exchange my anger to self-control

·         Exchange my self-defensiveness for trust

·         Exchange my lust for love

·         Exchange my hate for acceptance

·         Exchange my disbelief for belief 

·         Exchange my fear to boldness

·         Exchange my brokenness for restoration

In The Fullness of Time

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

All the conditions were perfectly lined up for the birth of God’s own Son, Jesus.  The political, spiritual and social climate were all set for the entrance of the Messiah into the world.  At this time, we also reflect on how God’s timing is always perfect in orchestrating the events for Church at the Manor.

One of our recent highlights began one afternoon began as Sharon and I along with Steve, Carolyn, Kristen and Jen blitzed the local neighbourhood surrounding the Manor with flyers sharing that Mike ‘the bull’ Roberts was speaking the next day.  We met lots of people from talks at the door to apartment lobbys.   There was a great build up of excitement, prayer and anticipation on that Saturday. Then Sharon and I had to race off to pick up Carrie who was speaking that night at “Break The Chains,” an event being held  the Father’s Heart Ministry in Waterloo.  By the way, she did fantastic… check it out here   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN3I2IBp4Sg

So, there we are making our way to this event and a text came to Sharon.  It was Mike and he was sorry, but he was going to have to cancel his engagement with us.  My heart sank and we were stunned by the turn of events.  He went on to share that he had spoken tirelessly at so many church and school events that week and was completely spent. He spoke with his mentors and felt he needed to take time off.  What do you do?  Do we accept it or challenge him to reconsider.  As it turned out Sharon and I had just spoke about the fact that we wanted to bless Mike and his ministry with what little we had at the Manor…sometimes the offering in our beer bucket is $3-, but we were determined to honor him.  So, Sharon asked him to simply pray and ask God to speak to him and we left it at that.  Shortly after, Mike made the decision to come and honor his commitment.

Sunday is here and the Manor is packed out to the gills!  We have one of our best attendances to date with over 70 people present to hear Mike share.  Mike is pulled aside to meet with Roger in his office as an engaging conversation unfolds as Mike shares how he was once a white supremacist, but how God changed all that one night while lying on the floor in his apartment.  He speaks of going to Auschwitz and the smell of death and how God broke him.  They talk about their dogs and have a great moment.

Later Mike shares his story, going from notorious to glorious, from a life of abuse, crime, drugs, gangs, violence to being completely transformed by the love of God. 

Sharon pulls me aside to share how we need to have each person come forward afterwards to bless and encourage Mike.  A beer bucket is placed on the stage behind him for people to give to bless his ministry.  So, a long train of people unfolds and for the next 45min, the people who attended did just that, blessed him and gave.

Here follows how Mike shared about the events that unfolded that day.

so there is no other way to describe what happened today other than to say holy s__t I can't believe that just happened.yesterday I was so deflated and never wanted to go speak at my event today.but I went anyway because I gave my word. The strip club I spoke at was full and I spoke next to the st poll and between the blessing the people gave me and the line up of thank you and encouragement all I can say is God came to help me today and renewed my strength I feel very humbled and thankful for the church at the manor that blessed me today it has been a long time since I have felt so appreciated for the work I do. Even the owner of the joint invited me back to his office for a chat nice Jewish fella...thank u lord for m daily bread

Over $1000- was generously given in the beer bucket to support Mike's ministry!

And now here is the teaching focus for Church at the Manor.  We took time to look at life lessons on breakthrough from Jonah.

Running in the opposite direction!

The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.”

3 But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.   Jonah 1:1-3NLT

Why did Jonah do that?

Did he really think that he could get away from the Lord?? As Pastor Jim has shared, sin makes you stupid!

Sin also brings shame - hiding from God is our natural learned tendency. Instead of running to God, we run away… in the opposite direction!  We run, withdraw when we sin. We choose independence from God

Jonah really had no interest in going to Ninevah, there was no love for the people there.  In fact, he most likely wanted nothing to do with them.  It’s like being a pastor and God says, you know what, I want you to go and start a church in a little place like Timbuktu but no, this pastor wants to go to sunny southern California where it is warm and sunny and more fun!

Have you ever gone completely opposite of what you know God told you to do or spoke to you about?

Why do we do that?  What is the lure?

Often we think we know best.  We say things like ok, God, this is the path that I’m choosing, now go bless it.

However, it doesn’t work very well does it?

The starting point for all of us in knowing the right way to go is to not lean on our own understanding.  The first decision we have to make is to say, OK, God you are in control.

Proverbs 3:5,6  Where are you leaning?

REMEDY – lean heavily ON God for wisdom, direction in all life’s choices.

Swallowed Up By Our Bad Decisions

12 “Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.”13 Instead, the sailors rowed even harder to get the ship to the land. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn’t make it. 14 Then they cried out to the Lord, Jonah’s God. “O Lord,” they pleaded, “don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O Lord, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons.”15 Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! 16 The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him.

So, here’s an incredible takeaway that even in our poor choices God can use us.  He can use our life lessons to reveal Himself powerfully to others, yes, even in our own stupidity!  The sailors were completely transformed by these events and worshipped the Lord.  Nothing is impossible for God

Have you ever made a bad decision that you later paid dearly for?

What happened to Jonah?

He knows that he is running from God and it is not just affecting him, but it is affecting those around him.  He knows that he has to take responsibility and he own his mistake.  This is huge and this is a really important part of the Christian life.  It is called repentance.  He does a 180 degree turn in his thinking that leads to a change of direction.

Listen to his prayer in chapter 2. It is beautiful and it is powerful. We have all been there figuratively speaking.  We’ve been in the belly of the whale, in a place of despair.

Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish. ² He said,

“I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble,
    and he answered me.
I called to you from the land of the dead,
    and Lord, you heard me!
³ You threw me into the ocean depths,
    and I sank down to the heart of the sea.
The mighty waters engulfed me;
    I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves.
⁴ Then I said, ‘O Lord, you have driven me from your presence.
    Yet I will look once more toward your holy Temple.’

⁵ “I sank beneath the waves,
    and the waters closed over me.
    Seaweed wrapped itself around my head.
⁶ I sank down to the very roots of the mountains.
    I was imprisoned in the earth,
    whose gates lock shut forever.
But you, O Lord my God,
    snatched me from the jaws of death!
⁷ As my life was slipping away,
    I remembered the Lord.
And my earnest prayer went out to you
    in your holy Temple.
⁸ Those who worship false gods
    turn their backs on all God’s mercies.
⁹ But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise,
    and I will fulfill all my vows.
    For my salvation comes from the Lord alone.”

¹⁰ Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach.

What does God do?

He does the unthinkable and Jonah is swallowed by a fish.

Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.

What happens to us?

I believe with all my heart that God is gracious and He is completely forgiving, but yes, we still live with the scars and the memories. 

The hope is that those painful memories serve as a reminder for us.  The decision is that I won’t go down that path again, but I will allow those moments to propel me into the presence of God.

Do you know God as your deliverer, your rescuer? You can!

REMEDY – God is our rescue!

Matt Redman

Who, oh Lord, could save themselves,

Their own soul could heal?

Our shame was deeper than the sea

Your grace is deeper still

You alone can rescue, You alone can save

You alone can lift us from the grave

You came down to find us, led us out of death

To You alone belongs the highest praise

You, oh  Lord, have made a way

The great divide You heal

For when our hearts were far away

Your love went further still

Yes, your love goes further still

When Things Don’t Go Our Way…or according to plan…or should I say OUR plan.

So, Jonah finally is obedient and He follows through with the message that the LORD gave him and plans change.  He brings a message of judgement,  it’s time to pay the price for Ninevah’s wickedness, but the LORD sees their change of heart, their repentance and a miracle takes place!

5 The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow.

6 When the king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying, he stepped down from his throne and took off his royal robes. He dressed himself in burlap and sat on a heap of ashes. 7 Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city:

“No one, not even the animals from your herds and flocks, may eat or drink anything at all. 8 People and animals alike must wear garments of mourning, and everyone must pray earnestly to God. They must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence. 9 Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger from destroying us.”

10 When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.

When has God answered a prayer in your life that turned out differently than you expected?

 How did you respond?

What happened to Jonah?

He has a pity party and he sulks about his situation, but the story is left unfinished and the hope is that Jonah does another turn around and continues to be God’s messenger.  The final chapter didn’t get published for his life and we have a cliff hanger.

What happens to us?

So, maybe we pray God get me out of here…BEAM me up Scotty so to speak.  I don’t want to be here, but God doesn’t answer that way.  Often, He keeps us right in the place we are and He enables us to bloom where we are planted.  He doesn’t remove us from our world, our situation, but He allows us to be transformed in the midst of it and we become an amazing testimony or story for God, of His power and His presence to carry us through!

It could also be that we have a difficult time praying for someone that God is calling us to forgive.  It may feel like the last thing that we want to do.  You might even say it’s not in me to forgive and I would agree, but then, we are in Christ and only because of Him do we have to strength to forgive those who have wounded us.  God is pretty serious about the whole forgiveness thing.

25But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”  Mark 11:25

We are called to obey His whether we agree or not with God.  We all have unanswerable questions with God. We need to trust God with this.

What will be the final chapter be in our lives…that we finished well I pray!

It is only by the Holy Spirit’s power and the presence of Jesus in our lives.

And on that day

When my strength is failing

The end draws near

And my time has come

Still my soul will

Sing Your praise unending

Ten thousand years

And then forevermore

Forevermore

From 10000 Reasons Matt Redman

Joey, the latest person to be baptized at Church at the Manor on Sunday December 13th!

Overcoming The Giants In Our Lives

A couple weeks ago on a Friday morning I went down to the Manor to meet with Roger, the owner, to discuss the Christmas party that we were having for Church at the Manor.  By the way this year, Roger is paying for the catering that will cover the costs for all the hors d'oeuvres and food for the festive event.  It all started last year with generous friends from BC, Tammy and Ross, who believed this is what the Lord told them to do and put on a lavish event last year https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goQvD86BPdI

So, here we are again and now Roger wants to make it bigger by inviting all the staff of the Manor and friends and well.  A Jewish owner of a strip club paying for a Christmas party for a Christian church celebrating the birth of the Messiah!  Amazing…only God!

As I walked in the office there was a man with his head in his hands overwhelmed by his own personal situation.  Michel hadn’t been able to see his boy, Bentley, for the past 6 months and he was distraught.   He just recently started doing renovations for Roger on some of his rental properties.  Roger tells him Jack is here for you and he can help you with your soul.  So as Michel shares  and I listen, we connect and a good conversation flows.  At the end of our time together, I ask Michel if I can pray for him and  prayer begins for reconciliation with the mother and for God to open the door back to allowing him to see his son.  Michel shows up for church on Sunday and listens to our message on ‘Overcoming Giants’ in our lives and there is an opportunity to take smooth stones and a sheet of verses to remind those attending on how to slay the giants in our lives.  I hand them to Michel and encourage him to trust God. 

The next Sunday Michel shows up to church and he is flying high.  He has been reunited with his son and he can’t contain himself.  It was such a great opportunity to affirm the power of prayer that we have seen and the bond that we both have after sitting together in Roger’s office….God works in mysterious ways.

It appeared to be a giant in Michel life, but it was overcome by the power of God.

So, what are the GIANTS that we face in our lives… well we took an easel out at church and here are the responses we heard

·         Finances, fear, depression, anxiety, fear of death, fear of others, loneliness, stress, self-doubt, jealousy, believing lies, rejection, frustration etc..

Just as David took up five smooth stones to defeat the giant Goliath in his life, we need to take the same approach and be on the offensive with the stones we need to use to slay the giants in our lives.

We affirmed the following as the stones we need to use in our day to day lives.

1.       Worship and Thankfulness

2.       Speaking Truth and Declaring Verses Out Loud

3.       Forgiveness and Love

4.       A Renewed Mind – Staying positive, focused on the good things. Simply put,  if you focus on all the crap around you in your life, you are going to feel like crap!

5.       Stay in Community, not withdrawing.    Learning to reach out for support, positive influences in your life, people that support you and encourage you. 

The smooth stone is a take home reminder, something to place on your bathroom counter and the verses need to be put on your fridge or bathroom mirror.

WORSHIP and THANKFULNESS – to overcome a spirit of worry, anxiety, finances

Psalm 100:4

Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

SPEAKING TRUTH AND DECLARING VERSES OUT LOUD – to overcome fear

Proverbs 18:21

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit,

 John 8:32

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

2 Timothy 1:7

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

FORGIVENESS AND LOVE – to overcome unforgiveness, bitterness, anger

1 Peter 4:8

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

Colossians 3:12-14

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

RENEWED MIND = to overcome depression

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

Romans 12:2

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

STAYING IN COMMUNITY – to overcome loneliness

Hebrews 10:24,25

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

So I had a wonderful opportunity to pray over Carrie’s home last week as she and her children discovered that there had been a little baby’s life had been taken in that apartment by a former tenant.  We wanted to pray over that home and pray against the spirit of death and pray for the Spirit of life to dwell there.  We prayed over every room and anointed them… even the bathroom!  Why?  Well, the enemy can also grip us with lies about who we are in that place.  So, it was powerful and God was moving and we took turns praying.  Before I left, Carrie asked her daughter, Trinity, if she would be ok with me praying for her.  She said yes and we had a great talk first and it was in her room that I sensed a spirit of anxiety.  She readily affirmed that social anxiety was a huge struggle for her.  As we talked it became clear that even days before when Sharon was there that she struggled even with living itself and through Sharon’s hug, she felt the presence of God.  She wanted more and that led us to a time of prayer where she gave her life to Jesus!  It was such a strong affirmation that God has placed on my heart to see new adoptions into God’s family and raise up sons and daughters of the King!